The use of computers and computing devices, including personal desktop and laptop computers as well as mobile and other wireless devices, to access websites on the World Wide Web (WWW) through the Internet continues to increase. More and more merchants are creating commercial websites which may be easily accessed through the Internet to place orders for items which are offered for sale at the merchant's website. The purchaser is able to pay for the purchased items by designating a credit or debit card or account number, and the merchant or “e-merchant”, charges the designated account for the purchase. Shipments of the selected items are then made directly to the address specified by the purchaser.
After receipt of the items ordered, customers are able to return items purchased for any of a variety of reasons. For example, the customer or purchaser may not like the color of a particular item or an ordered technology product may not be compatible with the customer's system. In many cases, items are returned for reasons other than the reason that the item is faulty or defective. In those cases, an otherwise workable and acceptable item is returned to the selling merchant. The merchant has no option but to accept the return of such items and to try to resell the item at a greatly discounted rate. In many cases, especially where the ordered item is large and bulky such as a computer system, the shipping and insuring costs can become quite high. This is especially true where the item is return-shipped from the original purchaser to the selling merchant and then shipped again from the selling merchant to a re-selling merchant who may specialize in the re-sale of such returned items.
Thus, there is a need for an improved method and implementing system which are designed to significantly improve the efficiency and reduce the costs associated with the shipment and return of purchased items.